Multi-mode vibration damping device and method using negative capacitance shunt circuits

Abstract

A novel multi-mode vibration damper is invented by using a pair of piezoelectric patches connected with negative capacitance shunt circuit units. A piezoelectric material connected with a series resistor-negative capacitor branch circuit is capable of suppressing the vibration and/or noise amplitudes in the low frequency range. The other piezoelectric material connected with a parallel resistor-negative capacitor circuit is for suppressing the vibration and/or noise amplitudes in the high frequency range. By combining two negative capacitance shunt circuit units, a multi-mode vibration damper is capable of suppressing the whole structure modes simultaneously. In order to describe the characteristic behaviors of a multi-mode vibration damper, the stiffness ratio and loss factor with respect to the non-dimensional frequency are considered. The mechanism of a shunt damper is also described as considering a shunt voltage generated by the shunt impedance. The example results show that the multi-mode vibration damper reduces the vibration amplitudes of the vibrating system significantly across a broadband frequency range.